Second Chance Taken
by sammy55
Summary: The Wicked Witch is dead, the memories have returned to Storybrooke citizens. But for Regina and Robin Hood, the memories from the missing year do not fit within their happy family. They must decide if the past can be forgiven or if the new knowledge will be enough to destroy them.


**So first foray into OUAT fanfiction is not Swan Queen like I was expecting. Instead, this story popped into my head and wouldn't leave me alone. This was written before 3x19 and probably ignores some events of the show. Just roll with it. **

**Fair warning, there is a little bit of unrequited Swan Queen love in here - I can't just turn that side of my ship off. But it's definitely not the focus! Promise - So enjoy!**

- OQ -

The blue fog that swept through Storybrooke left in its wake a rejoicing town. Memories returned, old friends greeted new, a few couples embraced in the street and the joyous sound of chatter swelled to fill the town. The Wicked Witch was dead and everything, for once, was well in their small town.

But across the town, standing beneath the only apple tree, a very different reunion had started. Robin Hood released Regina and stepped back with his arms still wide in shock. "You…" He paused and swallowed harshly, the new memories warring with his recent happiness. He took another step back as he decided, his eyes narrowing, his hand reaching back and loading his crossbow with speed driven by fury.

Regina remained frozen, staring wide eyed at Robin Hood while her mind tried to work around the icy fear that had burrowed its way into her heart. Tears sprung into her eyes as she watched the man she had come to love aim an arrow at her heart.

"You were going to kill him. My son, you were going to sacrifice him for your own selfishness!" Robins eyes were wild with fear and anger. "You tried to kill me, you were going to kill my son! Give me one reason I shouldn't shoot you were you stand - And this time I won't miss."

She stepped forward, reaching out desperately. "No, I wasn't going to, I swear. Robin, it was just a errant thought and my magic brought out the ingredients for me! It was accidental, I wasn't used to my magic coming out so strongly. I would never hurt a child, especially not one that I considered to be my own. Please…"

Robin Hood scoffed. "Am I to believe that the Evil Queen is above manipulation? You told me once that you would do anything to get your son back. How am I supposed to know that you weren't faking everything?"

"Because you know me now! You fell in love with me before knowing what happened. You know me! Would I ever hurt Roland?"

"And the next time something happens? This town seems to be a magnet for danger, so what happens next time? I'm not stupid Regina, I know how powerful spells using a child's heart can be." Robin Hood paused and took a deep breath, lowering his crossbow as his shoulders drooped in defeat. "Damn it Regina. I love you here, but how can I continue to trust you after what happened back there? You didn't deny it then, so why now? What has changed?"

Struggling to rebuild her walls, Regina found that she couldn't. After living for long with a barrier around herself, the rush of euphoria she had found when she let herself be loved had permanently crushed her defenses and left her wide open to be hurt. This was why she had guarded herself, this feeling of utter despair that threatened to drown her, the feeling of helplessness.

Tears steadily dripped down her cheeks, her voice coming out high pitched and cracking intermittently, "Because I couldn't let myself love you! I was terrified Robin - if I made you hate me, I wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt when you realized that you couldn't love The Evil Queen. It was easier that way. But now… Damn you, you snuck your way under my skin here in Storybrooke. Calling me Milady and trying to retrieve my heart for me, trusting me enough with Roland… I love you. I want a family with you. Why can't you just see that - That I've changed."

She ran out of steam, trying to maintain some level of annoyance so her sorrow wouldn't control her. She knew where this was going.

Robin shook his head, shrugging his crossbow back on and turning around. "Sorry Regina. But I can't do this. Not with everything I know about you, about what happened… Goodbye." He walked down the street, clenching his jaw and purposely keeping his eyes focused forward, even as his heart tried to convince him that this was a bad idea, that he would regret it.

Regina remained under the apple tree, tears continuing to fall. Her hands shook until she balled them into fists, hatred towards herself and her past welling up inside her. She turned and punched the tree as hard as she could, though the dull 'thunk' the action produced was hardly satisfying.

Why did things always go wrong? Hadn't she suffered enough to warrant the smallest amount of happiness in her life? Every time something seemed to be going well, something or someone would ruin it, and she was left back at square one, fighting her way back up again.

Her arms wrapped around her stomach in an instinctive attempt to hold herself together. She needed to find the others and ensure that every one was okay and that repair crews were organized. She couldn't afford to sit around and cry. If there was nothing between Robin and her anymore, than she wasn't going to waste time with sorrow. That could wait.

"Mom! Mom, where are you?" Regina's head jerked up and she looked around wildly. It had been over a year since she heard that shout.

There he was! Running down the street with his other mother running behind, Henry slammed into Regina, tucking his head just under her chin and squeezing her with all the strength he had in his growing body.

Regina's breath came out in a whoosh as her son crushed her, but she ignored it in favor of returning the hug, her hand cradling his head and silently marveling at his growth. She squeezed him and laid her head on top of his. "Henry… I missed you so much." A few more tears leaked out before she managed to control them.

For the past year she had been forced to be without him. Even when he hated her, at least she had him in some way. Then just as things had been going well, when they could be together as a family again, she had been forced to let him go to save his life. Forced to watch him from across the room, to act as the clueless mayor. But not anymore.

She pulled back and cupped his face, a brilliant smile breaking out. "I love you."

While his chuckle was broken up by the tightness in his throat, the smile he returned was strong. "I love you too," he leaned up and kissed her on the cheek, "and I'm sorry that I didn't do that the first time I saw you."

Regina laughed and pulled him into another hug. She looked up at Emma, who was standing awkwardly to the side with her hands stuffed into her pockets. 'Thank you' she mouthed over Henry's head.

Emma smiled and nodded. She examined Regina's red and splotchy face, tears tracks cluing her into the confrontation that had previously occurred. 'You okay?' she mouthed back.

Regina quickly nodded, not wanting to talk about it right now. The blonde nodded her acceptance and then glanced down at Henry. "I need to go back and help out the cleanup crew. And somebody needs to convince Granny that she can put the crossbow down." She paused, looking up at Regina again. "You ok with taking him home tonight?"

"Really?" The question had come from both mother and son.

"Well, if we are going to continue this screwed up version on a family, we need to learn to share." She grinned, but then her face became serious. "You haven't been together for over a year, and I highly doubt you are going to let go of him anytime soon. Go home. You both look exhausted. The town won't collapse while you take a night off."

She nodded towards Regina and mock-saluted towards Henry before walking back towards the center of town, hoping that David had managed to calm down an overly-emotional Snow. The new baby - currently unnamed - had not been happy being left with Granny during the fight, and was taking out on Snow, crying each time she set him down. Snow wasn't taking it very well.

Regina watched her go for a short time, before looking down at her son - who was still hugging her. "I think I have the ingredients for lasagna at home. Sound good?" He grinned up at her, nodding.

Keeping him under her arm, she turned to go back home, purposely keeping the apple tree out of her sight. For now she had her son back, and she refused to let broken hearts distract her from that. For now, she had a normal night with her son.

-Outlaw Queen-

The fire had long since burned down to embers, but Regina didn't want to move. Henry was curled under her arm, his head huddled against her side as he slept. They had chosen to watch movies well into the night, both of them silently afraid that this was part of a dream.

Henry had finally fallen asleep during _Iron Man_ but Regina remained wide awake, her mind moving in a hundred different directions. She tried to redirect her thoughts towards the simple feeling of her son in her arms but her mind eventually turned back to the other important man in her life.

Part of her just wanted to be angry at him. After all of their time spent together in Storybrooke, he wouldn't believe her explanation. All of the trust they had built had been toppled by latent memories, events that he didn't have full disclosure on.

But a larger part of her was just sad. This one final chance of total happiness, of having someone that loved her, someone she trusted enough to open her heart to had been wasted by her fear of rejection. It had taken the removal of her own heart to quiet her doubts enough to take that leap of faith. Her own stupidity had cost her someone dear to her once again, and she doubted that she would ever trust someone to that degree ever again.

A flash of white outside the window made her turn. Carefully laying Henry down on the couch behind her, she walked to the front door to see what was going on. As she opened the door, she froze, ignoring the instinct to conjure a fireball in her confusion.

Robin Hood stood on her porch, shuffling his feet and holding a flashlight. He glanced up at Regina's face, then back down at his feet. "Hello. I-I hope I didn't wake you."

Stepping out onto the porch, Regina shut the door behind her and crossed her arms. "No, Henry is sleeping. We watching movies."

An awkward silence fell over them, growing and lengthening until Robin finally spoke, his voice unusually loud on the silent street. "I came to apologize. I panicked and took it out on you."

Regina remained silent, so he continued, his voice deep and sincere. "I knew you were the Evil Queen when we met, both here and in the Enchanted forest, but knowing and seeing are two different things. I believed you when you didn't deny your intentions towards Roland because after witnessing what else you had done, it was easier to hate you than to have to justify my feelings for the Evil Queen."

" I wasn't exactly in a good state of mind - I believed that I would never see my son again, so I gave into the only other constant in my life - my dark heart. And that was condoned by Snow White and Prince Charming." Her voice whipped out in defense of her actions.

"Yes, but the broken mother you were when we first met was a far cry from the women who took delight in the torture of several flying monkeys. I realize that it was needed to discover the Wicked Witches plans, but that women was so different than any other version of you I'd met. I panicked because I didn't understand how I could still love you after seeing what you were capable of… I've had time to think, and I apologize. Who you are now should matter more to me than anything. After all, I am a former thief."

He had to stagger backwards to regain his balance after Regina slammed into him, wrapping his arms around her trembling form. He gave a half smile, "You're different here, I can see that now - we both are. Try not to push me away again, alright?"

A muffled voice came from his chest. "And what if we return to the Enchanted Forest? Will you leave me then?"

"Not ever again. We've both been given a second chance at honest love, and I'm not about to waste it." He laughed "Besides, I don't think Roland would let me. He's been asking me where 'Gina' was all day. I think I have some competition for your affection. "

Regina pulled back and smiled smugly. "Your son obviously has good taste. And he is much cuter." She paused and swallowed around a sudden lump of fear in her throat. "You realize that this isn't going to be simple, right? I don't trust easily and I have issues. Just because I love you doesn't mean that everything is going to be sunshine and rainbows for us."

"Yes, well if you can become friends with your greatest enemy and share a child with the Savior, I think we have a chance."

They remained hugging for a while longer, Regina enjoying the feeling of being cradled as if she were something precious. She eventually pulled back. "We are taking this slowly. No jumping into things, we take things one step at a time."

Robin Hood smirked. "Yes Milady." Regina rolled her eyes and reached out to smack his arm. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into a kiss. It was an unhurried meeting of lips, and sweet rather than passionate. The two of them simply stood still, allowing the kiss to heal over the last of the hurt and stress that had gathered throughout the day. Regina's eyes slid down as warmth started to grow in her chest. Her first kiss with someone that sincerely loved her in decades.

Feeling her body melt into his, Robin Hood squeezed his arms around her waist in return. Releasing her lips with a pop, he grinned down at her and set her back on her feet. "I assume I will see you at Granny's tomorrow?"

She smirked, eyes glinting with wicked mischief. "Of course. I intend to bake some apple pies specially for Snow White. Think she will get the joke?" She turned to go into her house, turning her face back for one last kiss.

Robin returned the kiss and grabbed her wrist. "I'm sure she will. One last thing before you go." Waiting to ensure her full attention, he continued speaking, his tone low and serious. "Henry already has two parents, three if you count his late father. I won't push him to accept me, so don't try to make me into his father before he is ready, if he ever is."

Regina smiled up at him. "Considering how hard Miss Swan fought to have a place in his life, it's not Henry I would worry about. And she has magic."

She finally went inside, leaving Robin Hood with a small smile, standing alone on the porch. He idly wondered if he should bring protection with him to Granny's tomorrow - Regina hadn't been joking about Emma's reaction, and she had been the one training her in battle magic. Making peace with the other woman wouldn't be a bad thing.

He instinctively looked up and down the street for any signs of danger before walking back to his camp in the woods. A happy whistle soon filled the still air around him, and a seemingly permanent grin remained on his face.

Things were finally coming together.

-Outlaw Queen-

The only quality diner in town was packed and echoed with sounds of victory. Granny walked around refilling drinks and berating Ruby for flirting instead of cooking. Snow and David sat huddled in a corner, rocking the newly named baby Ryan in an effort to calm him down. Ryan seemed to enjoy the attention, and continued to exercise his little lungs by alternating between loud wailing cries and high pitched babbling.

Robin Hood sat at the bar, nursing a beer and watched his son make faces at Ashley and Sean's baby, now a rambunctious 1 and 1/2 year old. He wondered how long this new peace would last , and glanced at the door as if something would burst through it.

A body sat thumped down on the seat next him, and he ungracefully jumped in shock before realizing that it was Emma Swan. He relaxed, but then narrowed his eyes when remembered Regina's words from last night.

"Am I right to assume that you were the cause of Regina's tears last night." Emma kept her face focused on the drink in front of her, but her tone of voice told Robin that she expected an answer.

He cleared his throat. "Some left over grievances from our time in the Enchanted Forest. But we've spoken now, figured things out. We are fine."

"Just don't do it again." The forced casual tone made Robin raise an eyebrow. Emma saw it and winced, ducking her head down again.

"I was unaware the Queen needed a protector. She seems well able to fend for herself."

A bitter sounding laugh ripped its way out of Emma's throat. "Well that's my job. The White Knight. The Savior. Huzzah." Seeing Robin's eyebrow being raised again, this time at the astringent tone of her words, she forced cheerfulness into her voice. "Besides, she's not just the Queen. I've got to protect my baby mama."

She yelped and managed to drop her coffee cup on the table before it exploded, spraying her with lukewarm cocoa but thankfully sparing her from being impaled by cheap ceramic. A glance over her shoulder let her know that her voice had been loud enough for Regina to hear and she was not pleased. A glare that could melt plastic was being sent Emma's way, and a warning fireball hovered over her open palm. Henry was sitting beside her at the booth and just laughed at the look on Emma's face.

Robin Hood sat silently and just watched, although a small smile threatened the corners of his mouth. It was the pain on Emma's face when she turned back, the kind of pain that she was trying desperately to hide, that finally convinced him to speak up. He made sure his voice was quiet enough that only Emma would hear him. "Excuse my asking, but did something happen between the two of you? Something I should be aware of?"

Emma grimaced, and when she spoke her voice was low and resigned. "It was always one sided, at least that I could tell. If Regina knew how I felt she kept it to herself. I thought… In the beginning I thought she felt something to, but it could've be my imagination. Of course, at that point she was trying to destroy me, so that could have been manipulation on her part."

She glanced over at Robin's face. "Don't worry, you won't have competition. Regina deserves her shot at happiness and I wouldn't hurt that just to chase after someone who wasn't interested." She glanced over at Hook who was hovering in the background and Robin Hood smirked. Her irritation with the pirate had been noticed by everyone - except the pirate.

There was a beat of uncomfortable silence and Emma continued, staring into the counter as if she could determine the secrets of the universe. "Keep her close and don't be stupid. Her edges have dulled enough that people will start to see how beautiful she is. There may be some people willing to take a chance on a reformed Evil Queen. You be stupid again, she will have a line of people who would be willing to pick up the pieces. And if you ever tell her I said any of this, I will introduce you to my sword throwing skills."

They both fell into silence once more, but this was much more comfortable. Emma had done what she had wanted, and she saw the way Robin Hood had looked at Regina, with so much love and genuine happiness. She was content to sit back and let the last of her feelings go.

Robin on the other hand was comforted by Emma's protectiveness, as unneeded as it was. If anything happened to him, Emma wouldn't let Regina do anything stupid. Robin Hood also wouldn't mind becoming friends with the other former thief and the differences between Emma and Regina promised much entertainment, if the coffee cup incident was any indication. He could very easily see himself being happy in the tiny town.

A chuckle from the side broke into his thoughts and he looked at Emma, who pointed over his shoulder. He turned to look and grinned. Henry had fallen asleep, his head laying on Regina's shoulder. She still had a bit of a death grip on his jacket, and if the fierce protectiveness in her eyes was any indication, she wasn't going to let go any time soon.

Robin Hood turned back and nodded his head towards the two of them, his eyes alight with humor. "I doubt you'll be able to pry her off of him any sooner than a month. I may have to wait my turn."

Emma smirked and opened her mouth to reply with what was undoubtedly going to be an innuendo, but stopped when she glanced at the booth again. Pointing her finger once more, she said "Those two are going to have to learn to share."

He turned to look again and this time his smile was soft. Little Roland was climbing up onto the booth with Henry and Regina. He wriggled his way under her free arm and curled up happily on her other side, his hands wrapped around her middle. Regina's smile couldn't get bigger if she tried - she had both of her children safe and sound by her side, both of whom trusted her enough to fall asleep on her. For right now, everything was right in her world.

Robin gazed at them for a few minutes longer and then turned back and grabbed another beer. Handing it to Emma, who took it with wide eyes, he grabbed one for himself, took a deep drink, and let out a content sigh. He looked at Emma, his face becoming more serious. "I just want to assure you that I will never try to keep Henry from you or take your place in his life. I won't try to replace his real father either. I suppose we've become a family in some sense of the word. Be easier if we could all get along."

Emma laughed and replied "Wouldn't be as crazy as some of the other things that go on around here. Have you looked at our family tree recently?"

He laughed as well, before glancing over at his family once more and standing up. "I better get them all home before we camp out here. Is Henry still staying with Regina tonight?" At Emma's pointed look towards mother and son, Robin nods. "Fair enough. Not sure who would fight you harder if you tried to separate them right now. Goodnight." He held out a hand for Emma to shake, then turned and gently gathered up Roland.

Regina smiled up at him, then turned to wake Henry. A few shakes had the boy stumbling out of the booth but barely coherent. He shuffled over to Emma and gave her a hug, which lasted for a few minutes longer than usual as he leaned into her body warmth. Eventually, she shoved him towards Regina and waved goodnight to all them. She would text Regina later that night to set up a schedule for the two of them, figure out where Henry would spend his time during the week.

Regina continued leading Henry out of the diner, stopping to grab Robin Hood's hand and turning to look back in the diner.

It was amazing what just a few years could change. No longer consumed by her rage and desire for revenge, she had once again become close to Snow, regaining the connection they had in their younger days. The sight of Belle and Rumple out for a midnight walk made her smile - the studious young women had made the grumpy bastard as happy as a schoolboy and the town was grateful for it.

After spending so much time plotting her death, so much time angry at her for trying to steal away her son, Emma Swan had become her student and her equal. They would never see completely eye to eye on many things, but it was nice to have another ally. Emma had proved herself to be a true Savior during the battle with the Wicked Witch and with more training would easily match her own skill. Having her as a friend wouldn't be so bad.

Lips pressing against her cheek broke her out of her musings. "Ready to go?" Perhaps the biggest change of all was standing beside her, his thumb rubbing over her the back of her hand. After believing that she had lost her only chance at love, here she was holding hands with the handsome thief.

She nodded and leaned into his side as she walked out of the diner, her now completed family following close behind.

Things had definitely changed and for once, she wasn't afraid of losing her happiness. The idea that anyone was powerful enough to destroy this was almost laughable. She'd like to see them try.

- OQ -

**That's it. Hopefully you guys enjoyed it! I am planning several other one-shots, so if you enjoyed this maybe put me on author alert! Also open to any prompt ideas from you guys, so if you have an idea drop me a PM. **

**Please Review and let me know your thoughts and feelings! Have a good day!**


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